e case, as the water is controlled by'
a foot operated spring cock.

If the case is rotten at top, patch it with good wood. If the top and
bottom are so rotten that considerable time will be required to repair
it, advise the owner to buy a new case. Sometimes the top of the case
can be greatly improved by straightening the side edges with a small
smoothing plane, and sometimes a 1/2 inch strip or more fitted all
along the edge is necessary for a good job. Handles that have been
pulled, rotted, or corroded off make disagreeable repair jobs, but a
satisfactory job can be done unless the end of the case has been
pulled off or rotted. Sometimes the handle will hold in place until
the battery is worn out by old age if three or four extra holes are
bored and countersunk in the handle where the wood is solid, and
common wood screws, size 12, 1/2 or 5/8 inch long used to fasten the
handle in place. Sometimes it will be necessary to put in one half of
a new end, the handle being fastened to the new piece with brass bolts
and nuts before it is put into place. Sometimes you can do a good job
by using a plate of sheet iron 1-16 inch thick, and 4 inches wide, and
as long as the end of the case is wide. Rivet the handle to this plate
with stovepipe, or copper rivets, and then fasten the plate to the
case with No. 12 wood screws, 1/2 inch long.

If the old case is good enough to use again, soak it for several hours
in a solution of baking soda in water to neutralize any acid which may
have been spilled on it, or which may be spilled on it later. After
soaking the case, rinse it in water, and allow it to dry thoroughly.
Then paint the case carefully with asphaltum paint.

REASSEMBLING THE BATTERY

Reassembling the Elements

Take a negative group and put it on edge on a board, with post away
from you, and lower edge toward you. Mesh a positive in the negative
group. The groups are now ready for the separators. Take six moist
separators from your stock. Slip one into position from the bottom in
the middle of the group, with the grooved side toward the positive
plate, spreading the plates slightly if necessary. Take another
separator, slip it into position on the opposite side of the positive
against which your first separator was placed. In this way, put in the
six separators, with the grooved side toward the positives, working
outward in both directions from the center, Fig. 225. The grooves
must, of course, extend from the